Week Eighteen.

Hello darling readers! 
It has been awhile, but after lots of reminding from my mother and a desperate search for free wifi, I finally finished week 18! & I have a few more blogs about the Star sitting in my draft folder. So after those are uploaded I will move on to all the exciting new things that have been happening! I wasn’t the most consistent blogger.. But I think managing to write about twenty out of the twenty-nine weeks I was aboard the Star is pretty good!

I know that old saying "when life gives you lemons make lemonade" is cliché, but it is literally what Mama Stoney and I did. She made me see the bright side of the ridiculous situation we were in and we had a fabulous adventure together!

February 17. Sunday.

Daddy Skip flew home that morning. We were sad to see him go. I had to stay in Belize until that Wednesday when my ship came back and was so thankful my mom could stay with me.

That afternoon Stoney decided I needed some fresh air & visiting the zoo would be a fun, leisurely activity. So Levi, the cab driver she'd befriended, drove us an hour outside the city to the Belize zoo! It was actually pretty amazing. Let me remind you, Belize is a third world country. So instead of high tech electric fences surrounding the animal habitats, there were literally just ordinary chain-link fences separating us from these exotic wild animals. Hilarious. I loved seeing all the vibrant toucans. We saw animals I didn't even know existed! 

Hands down the highlight of the day was meeting the rescue spotted jaguar, Lucky Boy. Stone paid a little extra donation so we could have the full experience. They put the big cat away, then took us inside his jaguar habitat and put us in a big metal cage with the jaguar trainer. Then Lucky Boy was released and he ran right over to us! We got to feed him chicken bits and pet him through the cage. The trainer then had him jump on top of the cage and lick our foreheads! Unreal. Daddy Skip would not have been pleased. But it was absolutely one of the coolest things I've ever done!

February 18. Monday.

This day will go down in the books as one of the most epic days of my life.

Before even arriving in Belize Stoney had discovered that off the coast of this tiny country was the second best barrier reef in the entire world. So she was thrilled when we found out that I'd be staying in Belize that week because she'd get to stay too! Stone immediately did a little research, found a highly recommended snorkel tour company, and booked it. That morning we woke up early and took a tiny eight-person plane over to the little island Caye Caulke. It was the definition of paradise and a popular scuba diver vacation destination. A golf cart taxi took us from the small airport into town. (but seriously, the landing strip was basically just in the middle of a field) We had a lovely breakfast together in a open air restaurant while enjoying the breathtaking view.

We wandered over to the tour place to check in and met the owner, Carlos. The entire thing was straight out of a movie. Carlos split the tour group in half and put us in a boat with Geri & Gary (an unintentionally funny older couple from New York), Stefanie & Susan (blonde German lesbians), and his assistant, Romeo. Stoney and I could hardly handle it. Comedy gold.

The tour made four or five stops along with a lunch break at a nearby touristy island. It was absolutely amazing. We first stopped at Stingray Ally. The stingrays were huge and I got to pet them! There were also several adorable sea turtles swimming around with us. We were in heaven! The second stop was over a giant part of the reef with the most coral and fish life. Stone and I followed our guide and free dove down through a cave! Everything was so beautiful and the colors were so beautiful you just wanted to cry.

The best stop by far was when we got to swim with sharks! Yes, real nurse sharks. In the wild. Insane. There were at least 40 just swimming around the boat. Our guide wrestled one to the ground and flipped it on its belly so it would pass out or something. Then he held it and we all got a turn petting the shark!! Crazy. Literally one of the best days ever. (Thanks Mom!!)

February 19. Tuesday.

We just watch Downton Abby, rested, packed that day.

February 20. Wednesday.

Saying goodbye to Mama that morning was so sad! She headed off to the airport and I waited for the port agent to pick me up. It was so strange getting back on board the ship! It felt like I'd been gone for a month. I immediately found James & Rosie and debriefed on all the craziness that had happened. The entire cast was so loving and happy to have me back.

February 21. Thursday.

Life was back to normal. Boat drill. Weigh ins. And back to work to catch up on all the repairs that had piled up in my absence.

February 22. Friday.

Cameron and I chilled in the shade by the water at No name all day. Very relaxing. We had to work that night because the show Shout had been rescheduled to that night. It was good to be back!

February 23. Saturday.
Tech rehearsal that morning and two Elements shows that night!